When Donald Trump announced his presidential campaign, I watched from a cubicle in a top-notch political consulting firm. Nearly his every word drew snickers and eye rolls from the campaign professionals who had gathered around the TV. “Well, at least we’ll have a *&%! show to keep us entertained for a few months,” one remarked.
I assumed Trump could never launch a legitimate presidential campaign, yet I found myself nodding in agreement with a few of Trump’s claims. Nine months later, Trump has unexpectedly swept the country.
This has been a year dominated by outsiders, and Trump is no politician. There is little “Washington speak” in his presentation. It caters to millions of people who feel left behind by the system. In style and tactics, Trump has revived a kind of populism which invites the reengagement of those who have given up on politics. But the hidden genius of his success is found in his messaging, however unintentional. Trump has honed a unique pitch which hints at elements of the natural-rights founding.
Those looking to defeat Trump must recognize that the only way to do so is through the genuine embrace of Constitutional principle. The American people have shown a natural appetite for it, but few politicians have been brave enough to embrace it.
While the angry rhetoric, coarse claims, and misogyny that come with Trump’s candidacy have obfuscated the substance of his policy proposals, the essence of his appeals still resonate. Most voters recognize that Trump is no expert on the Founding, but his tacit appeal to the rights of American citizens has inspired many to look past his faults.
Nowhere is this clearer than in his immigration policy. His advocacy for the the construction of a wall and the deportation of illegal aliens prioritizes the rights of citizens above those of non-citizens. Specifically, Trump claims that enforcing current immigration law will prevent dangerous crime while improving economic opportunities. With this policy prescription, he has tacitly embraced the rule of law, national sovereignty, and government by consent. The language of the social contract is back in the national debate, and it’s effective.
Similarly, Trump has unknowingly made an appeal to the Founders’ conception of the purpose of government. When confronted with the challenges of Islamic radicalism and its threat to America, he responded by proposing a ban on Muslim immigration. Despite its controversial nature, this targeted proposal seems more direct than the “War On Terror” which has now given way to ISIS.
When the Founders formed the government with the intent to protect of the rights of its citizens — including life, liberty and property — they laid out a clear design which has since been forgotten. Many of Trump’s proposals hint at this older design for government, as it prioritizes the protection of the rights of American citizens.
While Trump is no Washington or Lincoln, many of his policy proposals are rooted in an older American tradition. Though his candidacy is complex, his success offers proof that the ideas of the American Founding hold an enduring appeal. For that, conservatives should be thankful. His unconscious revival of the Founders’ natural rights language has uncovered the road map to electoral success.
